Detergent supply box of drum washing machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a detergent supply box of a drum washing machine which is not only mounted to implement an electronically stable device but also has a simple structure capable of improving the operational reliability thereof. The present invention provides a detergent supply box of a drum washing machine, the detergent supply box comprising: a fixed body ( 21 ) fixedly coupled to a washing machine body ( 11 ); a withdrawal body ( 22 ) detachably coupled to the fixed body ( 21 ); and an automatic pumping device ( 50 ) fixedly installed on the rear side of the fixed body ( 21 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a detergent supply container for drum washer, and more particularly to a detergent supply container for drum washer having a simple and electrically stable structure and operational reliability.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a drum washer is provided with a horizontal drum turning to rotate Laundry, and a detergent supply container is provided on one side of the upper part of the drum, which supplies the detergent to the drum. The detergent supply container is drawably installed in the washer body and its inner space is partitioned to contain the powder or liquid detergent and the rinse agent such as fabric softener to rinse the laundry separately, and the water flows through the detergent supply container mounted in the washer body to flush the detergent and the rinse agent into the drum.

The conventional detergent supply container is made to fill a dose of detergent and rinse agent at each washing or to fill a lot amount of detergent and rinse agent at one time and dispense them automatically at each washing. On the latter case, the detergent supply container includes a pumping means to pump detergent and rinse agent, which is controlled by the controller provided in the washer body. And, the detergent supply container has electrical contacts for the pumping means to connect the controller electrically. Therefore, as the detergent supply container is drawn from or inserted into the washer body repeatedly, the electrical contacts of the detergent container connect and disconnect with the corresponding electrical contacts of washer body repeatedly, which may incur an electrical instability. Moreover, as the electrical contacts or the electrical parts of the detergent container are not waterproof from the flow of the liquid detergent or water, it is probable that the troubles or malfunctions of the electrical device may happen. And, the conventional detergent supply container has a problem that the airtightness or waterproof of the connecting part between the detergent supply container and the washer body deteriorates easily, so pumping operation of the detergent or rinse agent may become worse as the detergent supply container is repeatedly opened and close.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The invention is suggested to solve the above mentioned problems, and the object of the invention is to provide a detergent supply container for drum washer which has a simple and electrically stable structure to minimize the operational error and enhance the operational reliability and user's convenience.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer which is detachably, attachable to the washer body 11 and supplies a detergent to the washer body 11, wherein the detergent supply container comprises;

A stationary body 21 fixed on the washer body 11 through which water flows in and out and has an accommodation space 23, an inserting opening 24 on the front part of it, inlets 27, 28 on the upper part of it and the outlet 26 on the lower part of it;

A drawable body 22 detachably engaged with the stationary body 21 through the inserting opening 24 and having a filling space 29 in which a liquid or powder detergent is poured and a detergent supply port 30 on the rear side wall of it;

A pumping means 50 including a cylinder 51 mounted on the rear of the stationary body 21 outside the accommodation space 23 and having an a suction hole 52 on one side of it detachably engaged with the detergent supply port 30 and a detergent exhaust hole 54 on the other side of it communicating with the accommodation space 23 of the stationary body 21, a piston 57 inside the cylinder 31 to suction and exhaust the detergent, and a driving motor 56 to drive the piston 57; and

A tubular connector 39 provided at least on either the detergent supply port 30 or the suction hole 52 of the cylinder 51 and a packing member 40 sealing the tubular connector 39.

According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the packing member 40 has an end packing 41 enlarged radially on the front or base end of the connector 39 and plural packing fins 42 extending outward along the longitudinal direction of the connector 39 with some interval.

According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein a separate liquid container 61 is detachably provided in the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22, the liquid container 61 detachably provided in the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22, the liquid container 61 having a liquid detergent filling portion 62 communicating with the detergent supply port 30 on one end of it, wherein the powder detergent is to be poured into the filling space 29 after the liquid container 61 is removed from the drawable body 22.

According to the other aspect of invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the drawable body 22 includes a floater 45 having a first magnet 46 and floating on the surface of liquid detergent in the filling space 29, and the stationary body 22, includes sensor having a second magnet 47 on one outer side of is magnetically coupled with the first magnet 46 of the floater 45 and electrically connected to the washer body 11, wherein if the liquid detergent in the filling space 29 is exhausted, the first magnet 26 and the second magnet 47 are magnetically coupled so that the sensor operates.

According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the stationary body 21 includes a body cap 25 covering the upper part of the accommodating space 23, the body cap 25 includes a channel 25 a communicating with the inlets 27, 28, and the channel 25 a has a hinged damper 70 to change the flow direction of the water by touching of the front end of the drawable body 22.

According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the stationary 21 includes a distribution plate 63 having a plural holes 64 to distribute water from the inlets 27, 28 on the filling space 29 in the drawable body 22.

According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the drawable body 22 includes a cover plate 33 to cover the filling space 29, and the cover plate 33 has a closable entrance 26 provided with a screen 48.

Advantageous effect

According to the invention, as the detergent supply container comprise a stationary body 21 fixed on the washer body 11 and the drawable body 22 detachably engaged with the stationary body 21 into which the detergent is poured, and the pumping means 50 having the electric contacts is provided on the stationary body 21 to pump the liquid detergent to the outside of the accommodation space 23 in which the drawable body 29 Is inserted, the liquid detergent in the drawable body 22 is pumped out by the pumping means 50 installed on the stationary body 21, and the repeated drawing actions of the drawable body 22 may not incur the failure of the contacts of the detergent supply container. And, as the pumping means 50 having electrical contacts or electrical part is placed in the space partitioned from the drawable body 22, the electrical reliability of the device is secured, and in spite of the flow of the liquid detergent or water, the electrical contacts and the electrical parts may be kept in waterproof condition and failure or malfunction of the drum washer could be prevented.

Moreover, as the drawable body 22, is provided with the tubular connector 39 extending on the detergent supply port 30 of the drawable body 22 and the packing member 40 on the outer surface of the tubular connector 39, the packing member 40 comprising the end packing 41 and a plural packing fins 42, the airtightness between the detergent supply port 30 of the drawable body 22 and the suction hole 52 of the pumping means 50, which are repeatedly coupled and decoupled with each other, can be effectively kept, so that the pumping power of the pumping means 50 should not be lowered, and the reliability of the device can be enhanced. And, as the drawable body 22 is provided with a separate detachable liquid container 61 having the detergent supply port 30, the powder detergent can be used by pouring it into the drawable body 22 and the liquid detergent can be used by pouring into the separate liquid container 61, so that the various types of detergent can be conveniently used.

And, as the drawable body 22 includes a floater 45 floating on the liquid detergent, which may be coupled with the sensor outside the stationary body 21, it may easily detect the exhaustion of the liquid detergent so that the user can refill the detergent in time.

And, as the stationary body 21 includes a distribution plate 63 to distribute water from the inlets 27, 28 on the filling space 29 on the drawable body 22, the powder detergent in the drawable body 22 can be evenly and quickly washed out by the distribution plate 63.

And, as the drawable body 22 includes a cover plate 33 to cover the filling space 29, and the cover plate 33 includes a closable entrance 36 having a screen 48, in case of using powder detergent, the power detergent may be prevented from passing the screen 48 so that the user could easily notice whether a proper type of detergent is chosen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of one embodiment according to the invention

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing operation of the above embodiment

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the above embodiment

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the above embodiment

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section of part A of FIG. 4

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section of part B of FIG. 4

FIG. 7 is an exploded view according to another embodiment of the invention

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of installed state FIG. 7

FIG. 9 is a sectional view according to another embodiment of the invention

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing operation of FIG. 9

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing other operation of FIG. 9

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG. 11 show various embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the invention is a detergent supply container 20 drawably provided on the upper and front part of a washer body 11 of a drum washer 10, which comprises a stationary body 21 fixed on the washer body 11 and a drawable body 22 drawably inserted in the stationary body 21. The stationary body 21 is in the shape of case having an accommodation space 23 and an inserting opening 24 on the front side of it, from which the drawable body 22 is drawn. A body cap 25 is engaged on the upper part of the stationary body 21 to cover the accommodation space 23. A pumping means 50 is provided on the outside of the rear part of the stationary body 21 to pump a liquid detergent filled in the drawable body 22.

The pumping means 50 is electrically connected to the controller provided on the washer body 11. As the pumping means 50 is placed in the separate position other than the accommodation space 23 of the stationary body 21 or the drawable body 22 through which washing water flows, the electrical contacts or other electrical parts around the pumping means 30 are prevented from contacting with the water or liquid detergent so that the failure or malfunction of the device due to the water or moisture can be effective prevented.

As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, the stationary body 21 includes a housing 21 a forming an accommodation space 23 and a body cap 25 engaged with the upper part of the housing 21 a to cover the accommodation space 23. The housing 21 a has an inserting opening 24 n one side of it and outlet 26 on the floor to exhaust the detergent together with the washing water. The floor of the housing 21 a is inclined downward toward the outlet 26. Inlets 27, 28 are formed on the rear part of the body cap 25 into which washing water supply line are connected.

A cover panel 22 b having a grip 22 c is formed on the front end of the drawable body 22, and a housing 22 a forming a filling space 29 is provided on the rear side of the cover panel 22 b into which the detergent is poured. The filling space 29 is enclosed and has a detergent supply port 30 extending from the rear part of it. Another filling space 31 is formed on one side of the filling space 29 in which a rinse agent such as a fabric softer is filled. A rinse agent supply port 32 extends from the rear side of the filling space 31 similarly to the detergent supply port 30. Cover plates 33,34 are provided on the upper parts of each filling spaces 29, 31, and an entrances 36 with hinged doors 35 are provided on one side of the cover plates 33, 34, and an elastic engagement 27 is formed on one of the cover plates 33, 34 to be engaged with the lower surface of the body cap 25 of the stationary body 21.

A pumping means 50 is provided on the stationary body 21 and is coupled to the detergent supply port 30 and the rinse agent supply port 32. A support 38 is formed on the rear part of the housing 21 a of the stationary body 21, and the pumping means 50 is installed on the support 38 outside the accommodation space 23. The pumping means 50 includes plural pumping units corresponding to each filing spaces 29, 31 to pump out the liquid detergent and the rinse agent respectively. The pumping means 50 includes cylinders 51 and motors 56, and each cylinder 51 has a suction hole 52 for includes cylinders 51 and motors 56, and each cylinder 51 has a suction hole 52 for liquid detergent and an exhaust hole 54 for liquid detergent, and it also has the other suction hole 53 for rinse agent and the other exhaust hole 55 for rinse agent.

The detailed construction and operation of the pumping means 50 are described below in reference with FIG. 3 to FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the suction holes 52, 53, the detergent exhaust hole 54 and the rinse agent exhaust hole 53 of the cylinders 51 are formed to be opened toward the accommodation space 23. The detergent supply port 30 and the rinse agent supply port 32 of the drawable body 22 are detachably engaged with the suction holes 52, 53 respectively, and the detergent exhaust hole 54 and the rinse agent exhaust hole 55 communicate with the accommodation space 23 directly. And the cylinders 51 include pistons 57 operated by the driving motor 56 to suction the liquid detergent or rinse agent. The cylinders 51 include operating chambers 51 a housing the pistons 57 and filling chambers 51 b to be filled by the liquid detergent and rinse agent. The piston 50 is connected by a link member 58 to the driving motor 56, and the driving motor 56 has an eccentric axis and rotating of the driving motor 56 causes the reciprocal motion of the piston 57. The structure and operation of the pumping means 50 are disclosed in Korean patent No. 10-1023918 and Korean patent laid-open No. 10-2013-0022792.

In order to secure the reliable suction operation of the liquid detergent or rinse agent by the pumping means 50, the airtightness of the connecting part between the stationary body 21 and the drawable body 22 is required. In particular, the detergent supply hole 30 and the rinse agent supply hole 32 of the drawable body 22 are repeatedly coupled and decoupled with the suction holes 452, 53 of the stationary body 21, which may cause the leakage. To prevent the leakage of this part, the invention provides an airtight or waterproof structure as follows.

As shown in FIG. 5, the detergent supply port 30 and rinse agent supply port 32 include tubular connectors 39 extending backward, which are coupled with the suction holes 52, 53 of the stationary body 21. A tubular packing member 40 has an end packing 41 formed on the base end of it and enlarged radially to tightly contact the suction holes 52 or 53 and plural packing fins 42 extending outward along the longitudinal direction of it with some interval. The suction holes 52, 53 have shoulders 68 abutting with the end packing 41. The distal ends of the packing fins 42 are elastically deformed to contact the inner surface of the suction dholes 52, 53 by multiple points. So, the packing member 40 as mentioned above can achieve multiple-pointed airtight or waterproof structure by the end packing 41 and the packing fins 42. Accordingly, in spite of the repeated coupling and decoupling between the connector 39 and the suction holes 52, 53, the deteriorating of the airtightness could be effectively prevented.

As shown in FIG. 6, the drawable body 22 has a sensor to detect the level of the liquid detergent and rinse agent in the filling spaces 29, 31. For this, a cage type guide 44 is installed uprightly on one side of the floor of the filling spaces 29, 31, and a floater 45 is provided in the guide 44 so as to be floated by the liquid detergent and rinse agent. A first magnet 46 is attached on the bottom of the floater 45. A sensor including a second magnet 47 is provided on the outer of the bottom of the stationary body 21 corresponding to the floater 45. The sensor is electrically connected to the washer body 11, so when the floater 45 is positioned on the floor of the filling space 29, 31, then the first magnet 46 and the second magnet 47 are magnetically coupled to sense that the liquid detergent or rinse agent is exhausted. Accordingly, for example, as the detergent supply container of the invention has the capacity to contain the detergent of amount required at 10 to 30 times of washing and automatically pumps out a dose of the detergent and rinse agent at each time of washing, if the sensor detects the vacancy of the detergent or rinse agent, then notices this fact by an alarm provided on the washer body”, which may increase the user's conveniences. Moreover, the senor may be protected from contacting with the liquid detergent or washing water, so the failure or malfunction of the senor may be prevented.

In addition to the above construction for supply of the liquid detergent, the invention also have a preferable construction to optionally supply the powder detergent as follows.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the drawable body 22 further includes a liquid container 61 detachably inserted in the filling space 29 of it, the liquid container 61 having a liquid filling portion 62, a detergent supply port 30 on one side of it communicating with the filling portion 62, a cover plate 33 and an entrance 36 with door 35 into which the liquid detergent is poured.

In case of using a liquid detergent, the liquid container 61 is used by inserting it in the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22, and in case of using a powder detergent, the liquid container 61 is removed from the drawable body 22, and the powder detergent is poured into the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22. The powder detergent is supplied into the washer drum, not by the pumping means 50, but by flushing it with the inflowing water from the inlets 27, 28 of the stationary body 21.

The stationary body 21 further includes a distribution plate 63 with plural holes 64, which distributes the water from the inlets 27, 28 on the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22 evenly. The distribution plate 63 forms a closed space below the body cap 25, the distribution plate 63 may be fixed on the stationary body 21 or it may be removable engaged with the stationary body 21.

The body cap 25 may have plural ports forming the inlets 27, 28, which are to supply washing water to the accommodation space 23 in the stationary body 21 directly or to the distribution plate 63. A partition wall 65 is formed on the distribution plate 63 or to the side of the inlets 27, 28, and an exit hole 66 is formed on one side of the partition wall 65 corresponding to the rinse agent exhaust hole 55, through which some of the water supplied to the distribution plate 63 flows into the accommodation space 23.

The cover plate 33 has an entrance 36 which is closable by a hinged door 35 as mentioned above, and a screen 48 is placed on the entrance 36. The screen 48 is to block the powder detergent when the user erroneously pours the powder detergent into the liquid container 61, so that it cautions the user to use proper type detergent corresponding to the current construction of the detergent container. It is advantageous in that letters or logos expressing the proper type detergent are not difficult to be read or understood.

FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 show another embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the body cap 25 has channels 25 a, 25 b communicating with the inlet 27 above the distribution plates 63. A hinged damper 70 is formed on the channels 25 a, 25 b to change the direction of the flow of water from the inlet 27. The channels 25 a, 25 b is formed as L shape and includes a first channel 25 a extending transversely at the front end of the drawable body 22 and a second channel 25 b extending along the longitudinal direction of the filling portion 62 of the liquid container 61. The hinged damper 70 is formed as L shape in section, which has a touch portion 71 extending downward and door portion 72 extending perpendicular to the touch portion 71, and it is hinged on the distribution plate 63 elastically.

In case of using a liquid detergent, as shown in FIG. 10, if the drawable body 22 is inserted into the stationary body 21, the front end of the drawable body 22 pushes the touch portion 71 of the hinged damper 70 and the door portion 72 turns upright to prevent the water from flowing to the second channel 25 a, so that the water cannot flow into the filling portion 61 of the drawable body 22. For this, the body cap 25 and the distribution plate 63 may have shoulder 25 c and 63 a respectively to stop the door portion 72. According to the structure as mentioned above, by inserting the drawable body 22 into the stationary body 21, the hinged damper 70 is touched and rotated to close the channel 25 b so that the liquid detergent may be prevented from being diluted or overflowed by the washing water. In case of using powder detergent, as shown in FIG. 11, as the liquid container 61 is removed from the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22 into stationary body 21, so the channel 25 a, 25 b are all opened, and washing water could flow onto the filling space 29 of the drawable body 22, so the powder detergent could be flushed easily into the washer drum.

The touch portion 71 of the hinged damper 70 preferably has a cutout 74 corresponding to the detergent supply port 30 of the drawable body 22, which prevents the packing member 40 on the side of the supply port 30 from directly contacting with the hinged damper 70, so the damages due to the repeated coupling and decoupling could be avoided. The above mentioned hinged damper 70 is advantageous in that it could selectively open and close the channels 25 a, 25 b and change the flow direction of the washing water with simple structure and simple operation to achieve a desired function effectively.

The part of numeral 49 a is a partition formed on the accommodation space 23 of the stationary body 21 to form exhausting space for washing water when the drawable body 22 is inserted, and the part of numeral 49 b is the other partition formed on the floor of the filling space 29. The part of numeral 67 is a one way valve installed in the suction holes 52, 53. Similar valves may be installed in the detergent exhaust hole 53 and the rinse agent exhaust hole 55. Another part of numeral 69 is a connecting tube extending below and inside the filling spaces 29, 31 and communicating with the detergent supply port 30 and the rinse agent supply port 32. 

1. A detergent supply container of a drum washer which is detachably attachable to a washer body and supplies a detergent to the washer body, wherein the detergent supply container comprises; a stationary body fixed on the washer body through which water flows in and out and has an accommodation space, an inserting opening on the front part thereof, inlets on the upper part thereof and the outlet on the lower part thereof; a drawable body detachably engaged with the stationary body through the inserting opening and having a filling space in which a liquid or powder detergent is poured and a detergent supply port on the rear side wall thereof; a pumping means including a cylinder counted on the rear of the stationary body outside the accommodation space and having an a suction hole on one side thereof detachably engaged with the detergent supply port and a detergent exhaust hole on the other side thereof communicating with the accommodation space of the stationary body, a piston inside the cylinder to suction and exhaust the detergent, and a driving motor to drive the piston; and a tubular connector provided at least on either the detergent supply port or the suction hole of the cylinder and a packing member sealing the tubular connector. wherein the packing member has an end packing enlarged radially on the front or base end of the connector and plural packing fins extending outward along the longitudinal direction of the connector with some interval.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A detergent supply container of a drum washer of claim 1, wherein a separate liquid container is detachably provided in the filling space of the drawable body, the liquid container having a liquid detergent filling portion communicating with the detergent supply port on one end thereof, wherein the powder detergent is to be poured into the filling space after the liquid container is removed from the drawable body.
 4. A detergent supply container of a drum washer of claim 1, wherein the drawable body includes a floater having a first magnet and floating on the surface of liquid detergent in the filling space, and the stationary body includes sensor having a second magnet on one outer side thereof magnetically coupled with the first magnet of the floater and electrically connected to the washer body, wherein, if the liquid detergent in the filling space is exhausted, the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled so that the sensor operates.
 5. A detergent supply container of a drum washer of claim 1, wherein the stationary body includes a body cap covering the upper part of the accommodating space, the body cap includes a channel communicating with the inlets and the channel has a hinged damper to change the flow direction of the water by touching of the front end of the drawable body.
 6. A detergent supply container of a drum washer of claim 1, wherein the stationary body includes a distribution plate having a plural holes to distribute water from the inlets on the filling space in the drawable body.
 7. A detergent supply container of a drum washer of claim 1, wherein the drawable body includes a cover plate to cover the filling space, and the cover plate has a closable entrance provided with a screen. 